How to Babysit a Berserker
by Python1984
Summary: REVISED. A small glimpse into the childhood of Dagur the Deranged.


**DISCLAIMER: I do not own How To Train Your Dragon or any of its characters. They belong to Dreamworks.**

**Since people seemed to like my last story 'Consequences' where Captain Vorg takes on a surrogate father role in Dagur's life, I thought I'd expand on that storyverse.**

**For those of you who don't know, Vorg was the Berserker who Dagur threw overboard in View To A Skrill.**

**WARNING: Dagur may sound very OOC but remember that he's just a little boy in this story. He hasn't become the deranged Berserker we know and love yet.**

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**How To Babysit A Berserker**

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It was just a couple of hours after sunrise on Berserker Island when Vorg entered the village forge. The blacksmith had just finished stoking the fires for the day of work ahead.

"Mornin' Knut," Vorg greeted the blacksmith. He removed his sword from its sheath. "The blade's getting a little dull and can use some sharpening."

"Extra sharp sword comin' right up," Knut said as he cranked the handle of the sharpening wheel.

As Knut worked, Vorg admired the many weapons lining the walls of the forge. He was testing the balance of a battle axe when a small boy with shoulder length red hair and cheeks dusted with freckles wandered in. The child approached Knut, held up a wooden play sword and asked if he could have it sharpened. The blacksmith humored him by taking the toy and pretending to sharpen it on the wheel.

"You're up early this morning Dagur," Vorg said. He looked around and realized that Dagur was alone. That was strange. His mother never let him wander around outside on his own. "Where's your mother? Does she even know you're here?"

"No. I don't think she even knows I'm awake yet," Dagur said. "She's probably too busy with my sister right now anyways. Runa was up all night crying AGAIN. She's been doing that a lot 'cause her mouth is hurting from growing a tooth."

The sad look in Dagur's eyes when he mentioned Runa didn't go unnoticed by Vorg. He knew that Dagur had been having some jealousy issues ever since his sister was born. Dagur had just recently turned five and was still way too young to fully understand that babies needed a lot of attention from their mothers. The only thing he knew was that he was now being forced to share the most important person in his life with Runa.

"I don't know what the big deal is. I bet I never cried when I grew my teeth. I even have a loose tooth now and it doesn't hurt. See" Dagur said proudly before wiggling his loose bottom tooth with his tongue, "Just between you and me, I don't think Runa is much of a Viking."

In reality, Dagur had cried and screamed constantly while cutting teeth as a baby. He had been so loud that many of the villagers complained about being kept awake at night for months. Vorg didn't have the heart to mention this to him though. He just smiled fondly and ruffled the boy's hair. Dagur grimaced as he pushed the man's hand away and readjusted the leather headband around his forehead.

"You should probably get back home," Vorg suggested. "before your mother finds out that you're..."

"Dagur, are you in there?" a feminine voice called from outside.

"Uh...never mind," Vorg said as Dagur's mother Thora appeared in the doorway.

Thora was a lovely woman with dark green eyes and red hair woven into a single waist length braid. There was a tired and worried look on her face. Bundled up in a fur blanket and resting her head against Thora's breast was a sleeping baby. Thora shielded the baby's face from the smoke and dust of the forge with the blanket.

"M'lady Thora," Vorg greeted her quietly so he wouldn't wake the baby.

"Good morning Vorg. Knut." Thora said, "Have either of you seen..."

She spotted her child who was now attempting to hide under Knut's workbench and breathed out a sigh of relief. She had been so worried when she went into Dagur's room to wake him only to find his bed empty and his window opened. And she thought she wouldn't have to worry about him sneaking out of the house until he reached his rebellious teen years.

"Dagur," Thora said with a strict tone, "you come here this instant."

Knowing that he was in a lot of trouble, Dagur nervously bit his lower lip as he came out from underneath the bench. He glanced up at Vorg hoping that the older Berserker would say something in his defense. But Vorg was no help. He just gave Dagur a look that told him not to keep his mother waiting and gently nudged him forward. Slowly Dagur trudged over to Thora. He steeled himself for the scolding that was surely coming.

"Just what were you thinking young man? Why did you leave the house without telling me?" Thora asked as soon as her son was standing before her. "That was very naughty of you. You know you're not allowed to be out wandering around by yourself. What if something had happened to you and I didn't know where you were?"

"But Momma, I'm okay. Nothing happened to me."

"That may be so but you still knew better," Thora said, "Now what do you have to say for yourself?"

"Sorry Momma," was all Dagur could say as he shamefully looked down at the floor. He loved his mother more than anything and hated it whenever she was upset with him.

"We'll talk about this more on the walk home." Thora said. The angry look on her face began to soften a little. "Now come along and have your breakfast."

After shifting the baby to where she was cradled comfortably in her left arm, Thora held her hand out and Dagur obediently took a hold of it. As his mother led him out of the forge, Dagur looked back at Vorg. The man mouthed the words "good luck" to him.

"That Dagur's kind of a cute little imp isn't he?" Vorg commented as soon as the family was gone.

"Aye, that he is." Knut agreed as he went back to work putting the finishing touches on Vorg's weapon. When he was done, he noticed that Dagur's wooden sword was still laying on the workbench, "The kid forgot his toy."

"I'll take it back to him," Vorg said as he took both swords and ran his thumb along his newly sharpened blade. Satisfied, he handed the blacksmith a couple of coins for his services, "Thanks Knut."

"Anytime Vorg."

* * *

Vorg walked up the long pathway that led to the home of the Berserker Chief Oswald the Agreeable. It was the largest house on Berserker Island and sat on top a hill that overlooked the entire village. Vorg was just about to knock on the heavy, wooden door but paused when he heard Thora talking.

"Dagur, will you please stop playing with your food and eat it?"

"I hate porridge." Dagur whined.

"Since when?" Thora asked, "It's the same porridge that I've made several times before and you always seemed to like it. Besides you're a growing boy and it's very good for you."

"Don't care. It tastes gross."

"You're being silly. You haven't even tried it yet so how do you know what it tastes like? Come on now. Be a good boy for Momma and take one little bite." Thora said. She sighed when Dagur stuck his nose in the air and pushed his bowl away. "Fine then. Don't eat it and just be hungry if that's what you want. But just remember that you'll have no one to blame but yourself when you don't grow any taller because you refused to eat your porridge."

Dagur bristled at what his mother just said. He was considered unusually small by Berserker standards and was very sensitive about his height. This was something Thora used to her advantage whenever he got finicky about food.

"Fine, I'll eat it but that doesn't mean I'm gonna like it." Dagur said grumpily before putting a large spoonful of the warm cereal in his mouth. Deciding that it wasn't so bad, he took another bite.

_'Works every time,'_ Thora thought to herself as her lips curved into a satisfied smile.

A small snort of laughter escaped Vorg's throat as he waited for the exchange between mother and son to be finished. He raised his fist to the door and knocked.

"SOMEONES AT THE DOOR!" Dagur yelled energetically.

"Yes, I know that Dagur. Keep your voice down please." Thora said calmly as she walked to the door and opened it, "Hello Vorg. If you're looking for Oswald, he already left early this morning to tend to some problems down in the village."

"Actually I'm here to see Dagur. I have something that belongs to him." Vorg said as he held up Dagur's sword, "He left it back at the forge."

"Thank you for bringing it back. That was very kind of you." Thora gratefully said. "Please come in."

With a polite bow of his head, Vorg stepped inside.

Having just finished his breakfast, Dagur jumped out of his chair and hurried over to the wall. There were several lines carved into the wood where Thora had been keeping track of Dagur's growth. Standing with his back against the wall, the little Berserker put his hand above his head to see if he had grown. He had eaten that whole bowl of porridge after all. He looked very discouraged when he stepped away and realized that he was still the same height as the top line.

"I'm gonna be small forever," Dagur grumbled.

"Don't you worry too much about that lad. You still have many years of growing ahead of you," Vorg said as he walked over to Dagur and handed him his sword, "There you go. I made sure that Knut gave it a razor sharp edge for you."

Dagur took the toy, examined it and put it in the sheath that was tied onto his belt.

"Dagur, isn't there something you want to say to Vorg?" Thora asked, "He came all the way here just to bring that back to you. He didn't have to do that."

Dagur fought the urge to roll his eyes at this. His mother was always telling him that since he was a future chief that it was important for him to be polite and have good manners. It got really annoying after a while. Why was having proper manners so important for a Viking anyways? It wasn't like they'd be useful in battle or anything like that. Sometimes Dagur wondered if it was just him or if other children were nagged by their mothers for the same stuff. Still out of his deep love for his mother, Dagur did as she wished.

"Thank you Vorg."

"No problem kid. Anything for my future chief," Vorg said, giving Dagur an understanding smile. He could tell exactly what the child was thinking. His own mother used to be the same way when he was just a boy. He then turned his attention to Runa. The baby, now wide awake was crawling round on top a large fur pelt on the floor. She babbled happily as she looked around at her surroundings. Vorg smiled tenderly as he watched the little girl, "Well would you look at that. Crawling already. She's growing up so fast."

"She certainly is," Thora said joyfully as she scooped Runa up into her arms, "It's hard to believe that it's already been 9 months since she was born. It wont be long before she's learning to stand and walk all on her own."

Dagur made a disgusted face at this. He absolutely hated watching people fawn over Runa. Everyone used to dote on him like that. But not anymore. Runa was the one who got all the attention now. So what if she could crawl? Big deal. Dagur just couldn't understand why adults made such a big fuss over babies. He thought babies were actually quite boring. They didn't do anything but eat, cry and mess their diapers. Nothing special about that.

"Can I go play outside?"

"Alright," Thora said, "But stay right outside the house. You are not to go anywhere else. Understand?"

Dagur nodded and asked, "Will you play with me?"

"Oh I can't right now my darling." Thora said as she lightly bounced her daughter in her arms. "I have to feed Runa. Maybe later."

Dagur was crestfallen as he felt the all too familiar feelings of resentment and jealousy take over. The nerve of that baby. How dare she keep his mother too busy to play with him. After all, Thora was his momma first. Dagur desperately wanted things to go back to the way they used to be before Runa came along. Life was perfect when it was just his momma and him.

"I wish you'd just go away already." Dagur said bitterly as he glared at his sister, "You mess up everything. I never asked for a sister anyways."

Little Runa looked confused by the harsh words that her big brother had just spoken. She may not have understood why but she could tell that he was unhappy. Runa reached out to Dagur with a chubby little hand as if to make amends for whatever it was she had done wrong. Dagur however, took a step backwards.

"Don't touch me." he growled.

"Dagur," Thora admonished, "That's enough. Those were some very cruel things you just said to your sister. I don't want to hear you talk like that to her again. Do I make myself clear? You're already on thin ice as it is today."

The little boy was in no mood for yet another lecture about being nice to Runa. He'd been getting way too many of those lately. Not only from his mother but other villagers as well. Dagur had heard from some of the other kids that things like this were going to happen all the time now that Runa was in his life.

"IT'S NOT FAIR!" Dagur shouted as tears of frustration threatened to fall from his eyes. "EVERYONE ALWAYS TAKES RUNA'S SIDE!"

Dagur then stormed out of the house, kicking the door frame on his way out. Vorg raised an eyebrow at this and looked at Thora. His heart went out to this poor woman. She looked completely lost. Vorg wanted to say something helpful to her but couldn't find the right words. He didn't have children of his own so what words of support could he possibly give the careworn mother?

"I hate having to scold him like that. But he's been acting out a lot lately," Thora said, breaking the awkward silence. She watched from the window as Dagur swung his sword around in anger, "I'm afraid that he hasn't been getting the attention he needs since Runa keeps me so busy. And Oswald never seems very interested in spending any time with him at all. Sometimes I wonder if I'm even doing enough to show Dagur just how much I love him."

"Don't be so hard on yourself Thora. You're doing the best you can," Vorg explained. "Now I don't know much about children but I'm pretty sure what Dagur's going through is normal. Runa brought a lot of changes into his life. After all, he has had you all to himself ever since he was just a wee baby. Dagur was so used to being the center of your attention but now he has to share that attention with Runa. He'll come around eventually. It's just going to take some time."

"I suppose you're right." Thora said," I just wish there were some way to make this easier for him."

It hurt knowing that her beloved baby boy was feeling so insecure and unhappy. Her children were everything to her and there was nothing in the whole world she wanted more than their happiness.

"I have an idea," Vorg said, "How about I take Dagur for the day?"

"I don't know about that Vorg." Thora said hesitantly, "Dagur may be small and cute but he can be a real handful and hard to keep up with at times. And he's never really been left in someone else's care before. What if he gets homesick?"

"Trust me on this. A little time away from his sister might be just what Dagur needs. Maybe it'll help him get his mind off his troubles. I can always bring him home if he starts to miss you." Vorg said. He then took notice of the dark circles under Thora's eyes. "Besides, you could really use some time off yourself. You look exhausted Thora."

"Is it really that noticeable?" Thora asked as she felt the puffiness under her eyes. Caring for both baby and a rambunctious 5 year old was indeed very tiring. She considered what Vorg had said about Dagur. He was right. It would be good for Dagur to get out and about for the day and have a chance to bond with another male. It really wasn't fair for him to be cooped up in the house all the time with just his mother and sister for company. "You know, I think I'll take you up on that offer Vorg."

After putting Runa down in her bed, Thora got some of her son's things together. Vorg went outside to speak with Dagur about the arrangement.

The boy had stopped with the erratic sword swinging and seemed much calmer. He was now practicing some moves that he saw during the times Thora took him to the drill field to watch the Berserker army train. Vorg was quite impressed. Sure there were flaws in his technique but for a boy his size and age, Dagur was doing very well. Even most of the older kids who had already began their warrior training weren't that good yet. Vorg could already tell that with some time and proper training, Dagur was going to be very talented with a sword.

"Very good Little Chief." Vorg said, "That's some excellent swordsmanship."

Dagur stopped what he was doing and gave Vorg a proud smile. It felt good to receive a compliment. His mother was the only one who ever really praised him for his skills. He tried to show his father a few times. However, Oswald would usually tell Dagur that he was way too busy to be bothered with what he referred to as "childish nonsense." After a while, Dagur gave up on trying to impress the man.

"So your mother and I were talking" Vorg asked as he knelt down in front of Dagur, "and we think that you could really use some time away from home today. How would you like to spend the day with me? Just us two men. Would you like that?"

Dagur thought the idea of being able to hang out with another guy, doing manly things sounded so awesome. Much better than being stuck at home and bored all day. Not to mention he'd get out of having to clean up his room like his mother had wanted him to. But best of all, this was something that only he got to do. No annoying sister to get in the way and ruin everything. Today he was going to have someone's complete and undivided attention.

"Yeah," Dagur said enthusiastically.

"Here's a few things that Dagur might need for the day." Thora said as she came out of the house carrying a large satchel, "A couple of toys, some extra clothes, socks and underwear, his cloak just in case it gets cold."

"A few things?" Vorg joked when he took the satchel and noticed how full it was. "It looks like you've packed enough for a whole week M'lady."

"I just want to make sure you're prepared." Thora said before giving Vorg some last minute instructions, "Now don't let Dagur play in the sun too much because his skin burns so easily. Make sure he takes a nap because he gets very irritable if he doesn't. He will try to get out of it but you have to stay firm. And tonight is his bath night. I should warn you that Dagur can be...well, a bit unruly when it comes to baths. With that being said, are you absolutely sure that you still want to do this?"

"I'll take care of everything Thora. You have absolutely nothing to worry about," Vorg assured. He was very amused by Thora's overprotective behavior. "I'm sure we can handle a little bath with no problems. Right Dagur?"

Dagur stuck his tongue out at the mention of a bath. He absolutely hated bath night. As far as he was concerned, there was nothing worst in the world. There was nothing wrong with being a little bit dirty? It was just part of being a kid. Why were mothers always so obsessed with cleanliness?

Thora looked at Dagur with a twinge of sadness in her heart. She knew that her boy would be in good hands but it was still hard to let him go. It was only going to be for one day but she had never been separated from her son for that long before. She was going to miss him. And this was just the beginning. Soon Dagur would start growing more independent and wouldn't need her as much anymore. Thora wasn't ready for that at all.

She knelt down and handed her son the stuffed skrill that she had made for him when he was a baby. The toy looked like it had been stitched and patched many times from being played with so much. It was Dagur's most treasured possession and he hardly ever went anywhere without it.

"I'll come for you after I put Runa to bed for the night," Thora said as she kissed Dagur's forehead, "I want you to be on your best behavior today. Mind Vorg and do as he tells you. I love you."

Dagur looked at his mother skeptically. She said she loved him but did she really mean it? Was it possible for her to love both Runa and him at the same time? Dagur wasn't so sure about that. Not after some of the horrible stories he had heard.

"Love you too." Dagur said halfheartedly.

"Well Little Chief, let's be on our way." Vorg said. He lifted Dagur up over his head and sat him on his shoulders. "We have a lot of important stuff to do today."

"Have fun," Thora said, waving as the two set off.

Dagur held onto the horns of Vorg's helmet as the older Berserker walked with long, quick steps. He grinned with delight as he enjoyed the ride so high off the ground. This was fun. He had seen other children get piggyback rides from their fathers and always wanted to try it himself. He never asked Oswald for one though because he knew that the answer would be no.

* * *

Vorg's home was a small, modest house on a beach overlooking the harbor where the Berserker fleet was moored. Behind the house was the beginning of the dense, evergreen forest.

Dagur thought about how cool it would be to have a house just like this when he grew up. Even though he was considered very lucky to live in the most luxurious house on Berserker island, Dagur really didn't care. Who needed wealth and luxury? Those things meant absolutely nothing to him. Here he would be able to walk right out the door and swim or explore the woods whenever he wanted.

"So Dagur what would you like to do first?" Vorg asked as he lifted Dagur off his shoulders.

"Hmm let's see," Dagur said as he tried to think of something fun. It was a warm day and the water looked nice, "Can we go swimming?"

"I don't think so Dagur," Vorg said. "Not today."

"How come?" Dagur asked, looking up at Vorg questioningly. "Don't you know how to swim? If you don't then that would be really weird 'cause I've never heard of a Viking who didn't know how to swim."

"I'll have you know that I happen to be an excellent swimmer," Vorg said, pretending to be insulted by the question, "but it's way too early in the season. That water is still very cold and I don't want you getting sick. I promise that I'll take you swimming some other time."

"How 'bout we play Viking vs Dragon then?" Dagur suggested, "It's a really fun game. You can be the dragon who attacks the village and I'll be the brave and heroic Viking warrior who defeats you in glorious battle."

"Alright." Vorg said. He removed his sword and propped it up against the wall of the house. (playing with a child and having a dangerous weapon strapped to your back didn't mix very well) He then looked down at Dagur with a raised eyebrow, "But just what makes you think you're gonna win?"

"Vikings ALWAYS win." Dagur said as he put his hands on his hips. "Don't you know that Vorg?"

_'If only that were true,'_ Vorg thought.

Vorg had seen too many of his fellow Berserkers get killed by dragons. But since Dagur was only a child, he had been sheltered from that harsh truth. In time he would learn that Vikings didn't always win but for now, ignorance was bliss.

"I, the mighty Dagur will slay you evil dragon," Dagur said pointing his toy sword at Vorg.

Vorg made a growling sound, "Not if I eat you first Little Viking."

The two Berserkers chased each other around the house a couple of times. Dagur jumped at Vorg, wrapping his arms around the man's legs in an attempt to bring him down. Since the boy was too little to bring him down on his own, Vorg voluntarily fell to the ground. The two wrestled and roughhoused for a bit before Vorg let Dagur pin him. Dagur stood up on Vorg's chest and with a battle cry, he thrust his sword into the space between his "dragon's" arm and ribs. Vorg made a mock gurgling sound before closing his eyes and pretending to be slain.

"YEAH, I have defeated this deadly beast," Dagur declared as he jumped off Vorg's chest and raised his sword into the air triumphantly.

"Don't claim your victory so soon Little Viking," Vorg said slyly as he opened his eyes. Grabbing Dagur, Vorg held him down and started tickling his belly. "Who's been defeated now huh?"

"St…Sto…Stop," Dagur squealed in between giggles as he tried to wriggle away from Vorg's hands, "D…dragons can't…tickle."

"It's not wise to underestimate your enemy's abilities Dagur. Always expect the unexpected." Vorg said teasingly, "Now do you give up?"

"N…Nev…er."

"Say it," Vorg said as his fingers moved from Dagur's belly to his ribs. "C'mon."

"Ahhhh! Okay….okay….I gi…I give….up. I give up."

"That's what I thought." Vorg said as he stopped the tickle assault.

"Not fair," Dagur said after catching his breath, "you cheated."

"All is fair in war Little Chief." Vorg said as he laid back on the ground and put his hands behind his head.

"I can't wait till I can fight real dragons." Dagur said excitedly. "Vorg, when do I get to start dragon training?"

"You still have awhile Dagur," Vorg answered, "Dragon training doesn't begin until age twelve."

"But that's a really long time from now. I don't wanna wait that long."

"I know it seems like forever but try to be patient." Vorg said with an encouraging smile, "Your day will come soon enough. You'll be all grown up and slaying dragons before you know it."

Dagur threw his hands up in the air and groaned loudly. It was so hard to be patient. He was ready to prove himself as a Berserker warrior now.

It didn't take Dagur long to forget all about dragon training when he noticed Vorg's sword leaning against the house. The metal gleamed in the mid morning sunlight almost like it was beckoning to him. Now that was a real Viking's weapon. Oh how Dagur longed to hold it in his hands.

"Hey Vorg, can I try your sword out?"

"No you cannot."

"Why?"

"Because I said so."

"That's not really an answer Vorg."

"It's as good of answer as any," Vorg said. He then gestured to the toy sword laying on the ground next to Dagur, "You already have your own sword anyways."

"But it's just a toy one." Dagur said, "Yours is a REAL sword."

"Exactly and that is why you are NOT allowed to touch it," Vorg explained, "A real sword is not a plaything Dagur. You could get badly hurt with it and then your mother would have my head. Besides, that sword is heavier than you are. You wouldn't even be able to lift it."

"Aw come on Vorg." Dagur pleaded, "Just let me try."

You sure are a persistent little thing," Vorg said "but the answer is still no and it's gonna be no every time you ask."

"What if I order you to let me try it?" Dagur asked with a smug little grin, "I'm gonna be your chief someday so you have to do as I say."

"Oh trying to pull rank on me eh? Well kid, I hate to break it to you but you are not the chief yet. Also your mother put ME in charge of you so you are in no position to give orders."

"Most of the other kids my age have real weapons already, even the girls." Dagur said, "I keep asking Momma if I can have one too but she always says I have to wait til I'm older. I don't like having to wait though 'cause it's really, REALLY boring. How come Momma won't let me have a weapon now? Why do I have to wait and the others kids don't."

"You'll have to take that up with your mother," Vorg said, "She makes the rules for you, not me. I agree with her decision though. You're still way too small."

Dagur pouted. It just wasn't fair that the other children were allowed to have weapons but he wasn't. He hated being the smallest child in his age group. Because of this, he felt like he was treated like a helpless baby. How would he ever become a warrior if everyone kept thinking he was too small or too young?

"Hey Vorg?...Vorg?...Vorg?...VORG? VOOOOORG?

Vorg sighed with frustration. He had no idea that children talked this much. "WHAT? What is it now Dagur?"

Dagur stayed silent. He recognized the sound of agitation in Vorg's voice. He had heard that tone of voice many times before from his father. Oswald always seemed to be annoyed with him for one thing or another. He didn't want Vorg to think he was annoying too. What if Vorg decided that he didn't want to play with him anymore and send him home?

_'Great. Way to go Vorg,'_ Vorg thought as soon as he realized the mistake he had just made. He felt awful now. The whole point of taking Dagur for the day was to cheer him up, not make him feel worst. He quickly sat up and placed a comforting arm around Dagur's shoulders. "Oh Dagur, I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have snapped at you like that. Now what was it that you wanted to ask me?"

"Do you think I'll be a great warrior someday." Dagur asked.

Vorg thought about that for a moment. Dagur came from a very long line of warriors. Thora was well known throughout the archipelago as a great shieldmaiden. As hard as it was to believe, even Oswald proved to be very skilled in the ways of the Berserker during dragon raids. It seemed only natural that Dagur would also grow up to be a formidable warrior himself.

"Of course you will. When the time comes, you will take your place among the greatest warriors in Berserker history. There is no doubt in my mind that you will bring a lot of pride and glory to our tribe someday." Vorg said giving Dagur a gentle squeeze. "Let me give you some advice though. Don't be in such a hurry to grow up. You've got your whole life ahead of you to become the warrior you want to be. For now you should just enjoy being a kid. As future chief, you'll have to take on many responsibilities. I want you to be free and have fun for as long as you can...Now speaking of fun, what game do you think we should play next?"

"Hide and go kill," Dagur said as he tapped Vorg's arm before running off, "YOU'RE IT."

* * *

After spending most of the morning playing every game he could think of with Vorg, Dagur was now curled up on Vorg's bed. He was sound asleep, hugging his skrill tightly against his chest. The little boy had completely worn himself out from all the running around he did. Just as expected, Dagur complained when Vorg told him that it was time for a nap. He insisted that he was now old enough to go without a nap. However he fell asleep almost as soon as Vorg tucked him in.

Vorg was now rummaging through a trunk in the corner of the room. Stirred awake by the noise, Dagur sat up and yawned as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes. Pushing the blanket back, he climbed down off the bed, padded over to Vorg and sat down next to him.

"Sorry Dagur," Vorg said when he noticed the child at his side, "I didn't mean to wake you."

"It's okay. I'm not tired anymore anyways." Dagur said as he curiously watched Vorg, "What are you doing?"

"Just looking for something…..Ah, here it is." Vorg said as he pulled a toy longboat out of the trunk. After blowing the dust off, he looked at the toy with a nostalgic gaze in his eyes. He unfurled its sail and handed it to Dagur. "My father was very talented when it came to woodwork. He made this for me when I was about your age. It was my favorite toy while I was growing up. Do you like it?"

Dagur nodded as he gingerly ran his fingers along the detailed carving of the dragon's head prow. It looked a little old but it was still a beautiful piece of craftsmanship. It even had the Berserker symbol of the Skrill on the sail. He tried to give it back to Vorg but the man shook his head and refused to take it.

"It's yours now Dagur."

"Really? You're gonna let me keep it?" Dagur asked as he looked up at Vorg with wide eyes. He couldn't believe that Vorg was giving him this cherished possession from his childhood. If this boat was anything like his stuffed skrill, it must be very hard to part with.

"Well I think it's about time for it to have a new captain. Besides, I did miss your birthday when I had to sail to Hysteria with your father for a peace treaty signing," Vorg explained, "So think of it as a belated birthday gift. It would really mean a lot to me for you to have it Dagur."

"Thanks," Dagur said.

Dagur promised to always take good care of this gift. Oswald never gave him anything like this. The Berserker chief didn't even seem to regret being away during his birthday. Never apologized or tried to make up for it at all.

"You're very welcome. I really hope you have as much fun with it as I have." Vorg said, "So what do you say? Should we go to the water and try it out?"

"You mean it floats?" Dagur asked.

"It sure does."

That's all it took for the excited little Berserker to take off out of the room and towards the front door.

"C'MON HURRY UP VORG!"

Once outside, Vorg led Dagur on a short walk through the woods, saying he knew a spot that was just perfect for "sailing." They soon came to a clearing with a pond. After tying a long piece of twine to the mast of the boat so it wouldn't float away, Vorg turned command of the vessel over to Dagur. Leaning against a tree, he contently watched as Dagur walked along the pond's edge, tugging the boat through the water. For a moment Vorg was taken back to a time when he used to play at this very same pond as a child. He reminisced about the hours he spent here playing with his boat and dreaming of the day when he would be able to sail the seas on a real longboat. Those were some of the happiest memories of his life. He hoped that Dagur would create many good memories to look back on one day too.

Vorg's daydream ended and he noticed that Dagur had walked all the way to the other side of the pond. The child was balancing himself on top of some rather large rocks so he could continue his trek along the shoreline. Instead of just walking around the obstacle, the stubborn little Viking thought it would be more fun and challenging to climb it. Vorg suddenly had an uneasy feeling in his stomach. He recalled yet another childhood memory of the time he needed his chin stitched after he fell and hit it while playing on those rocks.

"DAGUR, YOU GET DOWN FROM THERE RIGHT NOW." Vorg called out.

But Dagur didn't heed Vorg's order and jumped over to another rock. As he landed, he lost his footing on the rock's damp, mossy surface and fell. A sharp pain shot through his left arm as he scraped it against the rough stone before hitting the ground. Slowly, Dagur pushed himself up into a sitting position and mewled painfully. He looked at his throbbing forearm which was now dripping with blood. As hard as he tried to fight them, Dagur couldn't stop the tears that began to flow down his cheeks.

"Didn't I tell you to get off those rocks? See, this is the kind of stuff that happens when you don't listen." Vorg scolded as he rushed to Dagur's side. He stopped the reprimand as soon as he got a good look at Dagur's arm and the tears in his eyes. The child was actually hurt. Vorg was certain that Thora was going to kill him for allowing her son to get injured on his watch. But this was not the time to worry about his fate at the hands of an angry mother. Dagur needed him. "Poor thing. C'mon, let's get you back to the house and get that fixed up."

"WAIT. Don't forget my boat," Dagur cried out when Vorg picked him up. He pointed to the toy that was now bobbing lazily in the shallow water. Luckily the twine had gotten tangled in some aquatic plants that kept the boat from floating too far out.

Vorg waded in to his ankles and scooped the boat up. Carrying Dagur in one arm and the boat in the other, he rushed back towards the house. Dagur buried his face in Vorg's tunic and continued to cry softly. He knew that it wasn't very warrior-like to cry but he couldn't help it. His arm hurt so bad.

Once they were inside the house, Vorg sat Dagur down on his large, fur covered chair and retrieved some water, bandages and medicinal salve. Luckily the injury wasn't anything serious much to Vorg's relief. It looked as if Dagur had just skinned it badly. It still must've been very painful to a small 5 year old though.

"You're gonna be okay. Now let me see," Vorg said as he dipped a cloth into the bowl of water. Reluctant to let Vorg touch his injury, Dagur protectively pulled his arm away, "Oh don't be so stubborn now. I have to clean it or else it could become infected and then you'll have to see the village healer. You don't want to have to take her bad tasting medicines do you?"

Dagur scrunched his nose up at the thought of those bitter medicines. How he hated them. Not wanting any of that, he relented and showed Vorg his arm. Dagur winced as Vorg began to clean the blood and dirt away with the damp cloth.

"Sorry kid. I know that doesn't feel too good," Vorg said.

After cleaning the wound, Vorg grabbed the small clay jar of medicinal salve.

"Is that stuff gonna sting?" Dagur asked.

"Maybe a little but only for a moment. Have courage now." Vorg said as he scooped up a small amount of the salve onto his fingers. As gently as possible, he rubbed the salve on the wound in a slow circular motion. Dagur tensed up and hissed at the stinging sensation. Vorg softly blew on the boy's arm in hopes of soothing the pain. Soon the sting began to fade away and Dagur's arm started to feel better. Vorg wrapped some bandaging around the injury. "There, good as new. I'm very proud of you Little Chief. You handled that just like a brave Viking should."

But Dagur wasn't feeling like a brave Viking right now. What kind of Viking cried over a little wound?

"You wont tell anyone that I was...crying will you?" Dagur asked sheepishly. "I don't want anyone else to know 'cause Vikings aren't supposed to cry."

"Your secret is safe with me." Vorg assured as he ran his fingers through Dagur's hair. "I give you my word."

"Thanks Vorg?" Dagur said with a small smile. He looked at his freshly wrapped arm as Vorg went to put the medicinal supplies away. "Do you think I'll get a scar from this?"

"You might," Vorg called back.

"I hope so," Dagur said to himself.

Vikings, especially Berserkers wore their scars as badges of honor. The other kids were always proudly showing theirs off and making up ridiculous stories about how they got them. Because of his mother's overprotectiveness, Dagur usually had nothing to show aside from a few temporary bumps, bruises and minor cuts. Maybe now he would finally have a "battle scar" of his own to talk about. Perhaps he would tell everyone that he got it while fighting a vicious beast or something.

Vorg returned carrying a dish and held it out to Dagur. "Here. I know this will help you feel even better."

On the dish were sliced apples drizzled with honey. Dagur's favorite treat. Dagur felt his mouth start to water at the sweet smell. He reached for the offered food but then quickly pulled his hand away. Vorg was confused by this. After all, he'd seen this child devour these during feasts in the Great Hall.

"Something wrong Dagur? I thought you liked these."

"I do like 'em. But Momma doesn't let me have treats until after I've eaten my dinner." Dagur explained. "She says it spoils my appetite.

"I see. Well your momma's probably right about that. However, I don't think this one time will hurt." Vorg said as he winked at Dagur, "Go ahead and eat up. I won't tell if you don't."

Dagur's eyes lit up and a wide smile formed on his lips. He helped himself to an apple and happily took a bite.

* * *

Dagur slurped down his second helping of the yak meat stew that Vorg had made for dinner. It wasn't as good as his mother's stew but it still tasted pretty good.

Vorg had left the room a while ago, saying that there was something he had to do. Luckily Dagur was too focused on eating that he didn't notice the large kettle of hot water that Vorg took with him.

When Vorg came back, he watched as Dagur soaked up every last bit of gravy from the bowl with some bread and stuff it in his mouth. He then grabbed his cup of buttermilk and greedily chugged it down in large gulps. Vorg was amazed. For someone so tiny, that boy sure could put away the food. That little treat earlier did absolutely nothing to curb his Berserker appetite. Vorg wasn't used to cooking for anyone but himself so he was happy to see Dagur enjoying his food.

"Better slow down or you're gonna burst." Vorg said amusingly. He waited for Dagur to pull the cup away from his lips. "All finished?"

Dagur acknowledged Vorg with a loud burp.

"Very cute." Vorg said sarcastically. His expression suddenly became very serious. He wasn't looking forward to what came next and hoped that Dagur wouldn't make it too difficult for him. "Do you know what it's time for now?"

Dagur knew exactly what the man was talking about. He had really been hoping that Vorg had forgotten all about it but no such luck. Dagur didn't plan on going down without a fight though. He put his empty cup on the table and slowly slid out of his chair, keeping his eyes on Vorg the whole time. Time seemed to stand still as he and Vorg stared each other down intensely.

"Come along quietly now," Vorg said as he carefully approached Dagur, "Let's just get this over with."

"NOOO," Dagur screamed before he took off running, "I WONT DO IT! YOU CANT MAKE ME!"

"Frittering Freyja," Vorg cursed as he chased after the runaway Viking. "DAGUR GET BACK HERE!"

Entering his bedroom, Vorg looked around for the tiny Berserker. He smirked and rolled his eyes when he noticed two small feet sticking out from underneath the bed.

At first, Vorg was about to grab ahold of Dagur's ankles and drag him out but was worried about possibly injuring the child that way. He didn't want Dagur to start thrashing around under there and end up hitting his head on the bed's wooden frame. Especially since he had already gotten hurt once today. So Vorg came up with a different plan to get Dagur to come out on his own.

"Now where could he be? I could've sworn he came in here." Vorg said out loud, "Oh well. Guess I'll just have to look somewhere else."

Holding his breath, Dagur listened as Vorg left the room. He sighed with relief as soon as he heard the door shut. He crawled out from his hiding place and grinned triumphantly. Who knew that outsmarting grownups could be this easy?

Dagur cautiously opened the bedroom door a crack to make sure the coast was clear. Satisfied, he pushed the door open the rest of the way. But as soon as he stepped out of the room, he was ambushed by Vorg. Before Dagur had a chance to react, the older Berserker grabbed him around the waist and hoisted him up. Dagur shrieked with surprise and kicked his legs in the air.

"Gotcha you little terrible terror," Vorg said as he flung Dagur over his shoulder and carried him to the back of the house.

"Hey, you tricked me Vorg," Dagur accused as he tried to free himself. "You better put me down right now or you'll be in big trouble."

"Oh will I now? Well I guess that's a risk I'll just have to take. Now the sooner you stop fighting it, the sooner it will be done and over with," Vorg said as he put Dagur down next to a wash basin that he had filled while Dagur was eating. Dagur tried one last ditch effort to escape the 'horrible fate' that awaited him but Vorg caught him by the back of his tunic before he could run off again. For the next several minutes, Vorg struggled to get Dagur undressed but the boy was squirming around too much, "Now you settle down. I've never seen anyone put up this much of a fuss over having to take a bath. You'd think Ragnarok was happening with the way you're acting right now."

"I HATE, HATE, HATE baths," Dagur growled through gritted teeth.

"Really? I never would have guessed. Look, when you're all grown up and chief of the tribe then you can be as dirty and smell as badly as you want. Until then you're going to take a bath whether you want one or not. " Vorg said as he tried to pull the child's leggings off without getting kicked. Then he picked Dagur up and dropped him unceremoniously into the basin. Dagur began hitting and kicking at the water, soaking almost everything in sight including Vorg. Vorg pinched the bridge of his nose in exasperation. He pitied poor Thora for having to put up with this."You're not gonna make this easy for me are you?"

"The water's cold," Dagur complained.

"And whose fault is that hmm?" Vorg asked unsympathetically as he soaped up a cloth and started to scrub Dagur's back, "The water would've been warm if you had gotten in right away. Just think, you could've been all cleaned up and dried off by now but nooo."

Dagur just crossed his arms and pouted indignantly. He grumbled about how mean Vorg was being. Vorg couldn't help but chuckle. If only Dagur could see just how silly he looked right now. Dagur glared up at him. He didn't appreciate being laughed at and let Vorg know it by giving him a face full of water.

"Why you little...you do that again and I'll see to it that you have to take 3 baths every single day for the next 10 years young man," Vorg threatened as he wiped his face with his hand. It may have been an empty threat but a little boy like Dagur had no way of knowing that.

The look of defiance on Dagur's face was suddenly replaced by one of panic. "No, no, no, no, no. Please Vorg. Not that. Anything but that. I promise I'll be good."

"That's more like it," Vorg said, "Now stop fidgeting."

For the first time since this whole ordeal began, Dagur did as he was told. He tried to remain as still and silent as he could for the remainder of his bath. Vorg was feeling pleased with himself. So that's all it took to get Dagur to behave himself. He would have to remember to tell Thora about this little trick.

"Vooorg, I'm clean enough" Dagur whined, "I wanna get out nooow."

"Alright, alright," Vorg said. He was more than ready to be done with this too.

He rinsed Dagur off before lifting him out of the basin. After drying him off, Vorg checked Dagur's injured arm and put some fresh bandaging on it. He then took the long, linen night tunic out of the satchel that Thora had packed and pulled it over Dagur's head. Vorg began to run a comb through the child's damp hair but quickly found out that that too proved to be a bit of a challenge.

"OUCH!" Dagur yelped as the comb caught a tangle, "OWWW! Stop it. That hurts."

"This would be a lot easier and less painful if you kept your hair shorter," Vorg said.

"You sound just like my momma. She always says that too," Dagur said as he rolled his eyes, "But I don't wanna cut my hair. I like it long. OUCH!"

"Whatever you say Dagur."

Before Vorg could finish, Dagur ducked away from the comb and scurried off.

"Oh well. Guess that's as good as it's gonna get," Vorg muttered as he picked Dagur's clothes up off the ground. Feeling a cold draft, he looked down to find his own tunic completely drenched thanks to all of Dagur's splashing. Groaning, he thought to himself, _'I'm gonna stay as far away as I can from that boy on bath day from now on.'_

* * *

Later on that evening, Dagur was sitting on the windowsill listening to the sound of the waves against the shore. Looking up at the darkening sky, he wondered if there would be any dragon raids tonight. It had been a couple of weeks since the last one. Even though he'd never admit to it, the raids were scary sometimes.

"C'mon Dagur. Time to close the windows for the night." Vorg said.

Dagur hopped down off the sill and went to sit on the floor where he had left his toys. Before closing the wooden shutters, Vorg quickly glanced up at the sky. So far it was a peaceful and calm evening. He hoped it stayed that way. He had had a great day with Dagur and didn't want it to be spoiled by a dragon attack.

After putting some more logs in the fire pit, Vorg sat down in his chair with a tankard of mead. Dagur was laying on his belly, playing some game that he had made up with his stuffed skrill and toy boat. Taking a drink, Vorg watched the little boy who was obviously lost in some imaginary world. Smiling to himself, Vorg wondered if this is what is was like to be a father. It was truly an amazing feeling. Just seeing Dagur play and smile or hearing him laugh was enough to make Vorg's heart melt. Even when the kid was being naughty, Vorg found that it was hard to be upset with him for very long. He remembered how he felt when Dagur got hurt earlier. It was a terrible feeling. That incident awoke a strong sense of protectiveness in Vorg. He wanted to keep the boy safe from all harm. Vorg knew it would be impossible to protect him forever though. Dagur would grow up to be a great warrior and chief who not only could take care of himself but his whole tribe as well. When that day came, he would most likely come to see Vorg as just another soldier among many he would command. But until then, Vorg would enjoy the bond they had forged today for as long as he could.

"Come here Dagur."

Dagur looked up from his game to see Vorg smiling at him. Pushing himself up off the floor, he scampered over to Vorg's chair. Setting his tankard aside, the older Berserker lifted Dagur up and sat him on his lap. Making himself comfortable, Dagur cuddled in as Vorg wrapped his large arms around him.

"Do you think there'll be any dragon raids tonight?" Dagur asked.

"I don't know. It's hard to tell when the beasts are going to attack." Vorg said, "But if there is a raid, I'll be right here to keep you safe. I wont let any dragon hurt you. ...Do the raids scare you?"

"N…no," Dagur lied, "I'm not scared of anything. I'm a brave and mighty Berserker and a Berserker fears no dragon. Right Vorg?"

"M'hmm," was Vorg's only reply.

The two sat for awhile just enjoying each other's company. Dagur appeared to be in very deep thought about something as he plucked at a loose thread on the sleeve of his night tunic. Vorg began to suspect something was up when too much time passed without Dagur saying anything.

"Okay kid, why are you being so quiet all of a sudden? You've spent most of the day either asking questions or babbling on about something," Vorg said, "I can tell there's something on your mind. Now out with it."

"I was just wondering...would you let me come live here with you?" Dagur asked nervously."

"But you ready have a home Dagur. A very nice one too." Vorg said, "Why would you want to live here?"

"I had a lot of fun here today. You paid attention to me and played with me?" Dagur said, "My daddy doesn't like to do any of the things that I did with you. If I lived here, you could be my daddy and we can play and have fun like this all the time. I'd really like that."

"I'd like that too Dagur. I loved having you here today and I would consider it a great honor to be your father," Vorg said, "But what about your mother? She'd really miss you a lot?"

"No she won't. Momma has Runa now. She doesn't care about me anymore." Dagur said. "She wouldn't even notice if I was gone."

"Now where did you ever get an idea like that?" Vorg asked, giving Dagur a funny look.

"That's what Bjorn and his friends told me."

Vorg frowned at this. He knew Bjorn as a 7 year old bully who seemed to enjoy tormenting other children who were smaller than him. Lately he had taken to bullying Dagur. The brat obviously didn't realize just who his future chief was going to be.

"And just what exactly did Bjorn say to you?"

"That Momma had a new baby 'cause she doesn't want me anymore." Dagur explained, "Bjorn said that soon Momma will forget that I even exist and only love Runa. That's why I wanna come live with you. You wont forget 'bout me."

"Dagur look at me." Vorg put a finger under Dagur's chin and lifted it up so he could see his face. "None of what Bjorn said is true. Don't you listen to a single word that little snot-nosed troll says. Your mother loves you with all her heart and she always will. She would never forget about you. You are the light of her world Dagur. No one can ever take your place in her heart."

"Are you sure about that Vorg?" Dagur asked. "She acts like she loves Runa a lot more."

"I know it seems that way right now. Women tend to get preoccupied with babies. I guess it's just part of their nature." Vorg said. "If only you could remember what your mother was like when you were Runa's age. She doted and fawned over you constantly. You'd think you were the only baby ever born. She was always talking to you, singing to you, rocking you. Many of the girls were always asking her if they could hold you but she wouldn't allow it. She thought that the only safe place in the world for you was in her arms. Many of us doubted you would ever learn how to walk because she never wanted to put you down long enough. When you finally did learn, you would actually try running away from her because somehow you knew she wouldn't let you go once she got ahold of you. Ha, I remember how crushed she was when your first word was axe instead of momma. She even cried on your first birthday because she thought you were growing up too fast."

Dagur giggled. He never knew any of that.

"And remember how worried she was about you this morning? Believe me kid, your mother is crazy about you." Vorg said. He paused for a moment before continuing, "You know, Runa really needs you too."

"She does?"

"Well of course." Vorg confirmed, "You're her big brother and a very important part of her life. She's gonna learn many things from you like how to build a snow Viking and play Viking vs Dragon. You're gonna be the one Runa looks up to the most. You'll be her greatest hero and best friend and she'll stand by your side through thick and thin. You just have to give her a chance okay."

Dagur thought about what Vorg had just said. Would Runa really see him as a hero? That sounded pretty cool. Perhaps he had been looking at this whole thing all wrong? Maybe having a little sister wasn't going to be so bad after all. It might even be kind of fun. At that moment, Dagur vowed that he would become the best brother he could be to Runa. He would teach her everything he knew and would always protect her.

"That's a good lad." Vorg praised as he hugged Dagur, "Now I want you to know that if you ever need someone to talk to, I'll always be here for you. You are welcome here anytime you want. I really want to be someone that you can trust and confide in Dagur."

Yawning, Dagur rested his head against Vorg's chest and closed his eyes. Vorg rubbed Dagur's back until he realized that the child had fallen asleep. Lovingly, he kissed the top of Dagur's head. The sleeping boy sighed comfortably as he began to suck on his thumb. Not sure if he should be allowing Dagur to do that, Vorg carefully tried to pull the thumb from his mouth. However when Dagur whimpered softly, he decided to just let him be. What was it hurting after all? Vorg laughed inwardly at the thought of Dagur growing up to be a fierce Berserker chief who still sucked his thumb.

"Sleep tight my Little Chief," Vorg whispered before drifting off to sleep himself.

* * *

Thora hurried to Vorg's house. She knew she was very late but she had a difficult time getting a very fussy Runa to fall asleep. She hoped that Dagur wasn't upset with her. What if he thought she had forgotten about him?

Vorg's house seemed very quiet. Thora knocked on the door a few times. Getting no answer, she opened the door and was greeted by the sweet sight of her little boy curled up in Vorg's arms as they both slept soundly without a care in the world.

It had been awhile since Thora had seen Dagur look this calm and content. She was now glad that she had let Vorg take care of him. Whatever the man had done today, it obviously worked. She decided that she would have to speak with Vorg about becoming her son's official babysitter.

Not wanting to wake them, Thora tip toed over to the sleeping pair. Taking off her fur cloak, she draped it over them. Dagur snuggled into the warm fur and breathed in deeply, recognizing the familiar and comforting scent of his mother on it.

"G'night Momma," Dagur mumbled in his sleep.

"I love you very much Dagur. Never ever forget that." the mother whispered lovingly before kissing Dagur's cheek. She then tenderly placed her hand on Vorg's shoulder. She was so grateful to him for giving Dagur the attention he needed. "Thank you for everything today my friend."

Thora quietly made her way back to the front door. As she stepped out into the cool night air, she glanced back over her shoulder at Dagur and Vorg. With a smile she whispered "good night" and closed the door behind her.

**THE END**

* * *

**Yes I have seen Dragons: Race To The Edge and know who Dagur's sister really is but this story was written long before RTTE. I'm sticking with my OC Runa as Dagur's sister because IMHO Heather is such a waste. **

**I made 12 the age when a Berserker begins dragon training. I know the teens on Berk began at age 15 but it could be different for other tribes.**

**In my headcannon, Oswald the Agreeable was a terrible father and that caused Dagur to grow up hating him. I wrote more in depth about this in my other story "Consequences"**

**Let me know what you think.**


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